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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27793270">Victory</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/apocalypseArisen/pseuds/apocalypseArisen'>apocalypseArisen</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Mass Effect - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Ending, Comfort No Hurt, F/M, no more pain</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 14:53:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,054</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27793270</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/apocalypseArisen/pseuds/apocalypseArisen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jane Shepard is told, in no uncertain terms, that she won. Also, she maybe cries a little.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Female Shepard/Garrus Vakarian</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Victory</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I finished the Mass Effect trilogy last night and it made me feel a little lost. It was good, sure, made me feel all kinds of emotions, absolutely, but it didn’t give me enough closure. So I quickly wrote the closure that made my heart and I happy. This is the first time I felt compelled enough to write fan fiction since highschool. I maybe cried a little bit as well. Hope you enjoy.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She opened her eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling.</p><p>With a start, she jolted up, machinery around her beeping quickly and angrily in response. She cursed it, began to reach for the tube in her arm when a familiar voice greeted her.</p><p>“Shepard.” </p><p>She turned, her neck aching at the speed of it and she began to feel everything flying through her head and pushing her body melt away at the sight of him. Sensing this, he continued.</p><p>“It’s over. We won. Well, from what I hear you did most of it, though I got in enough shots before it was all over to not discount myself.” </p><p>Hearing this expedited her melting until she laid back against the bed, releasing a heavy exhale and shutting her eyes for just a moment. When she opened them again, he was looking at her with such warmth- the only thing she could fathom wanting was to crawl into his lap and let him hold her. She sat up again to make this a reality before suddenly realizing the ache in her body.</p><p>“You’ve been beat up pretty bad, not to mention how long you’ve been laying there in that bed. Best to just lay there for now.” he said, voice soft and caring, and she did so. The soft underlying hum from his voice seemed to reverberate through her whole body and bring a certain peace she wished to hold onto forever. She turned to him and began to speak, but her voice didn’t cooperate, croaking out. She paused, embarrassed, before clearing her throat and trying again.</p><p>“Garrus.” she murmured, and at her word, he reached his hand out to rest atop her leg. She moved to grab it and rest her own on it, fingers folding slowly around it. “We won.” she said, repeating his words, sounding a little dazed after having voiced them aloud herself. We won. We, the entire galaxy. We won. He nodded, a soft smile visible on his alien features. She understood his expressions better than most humans. She tried not to think about how that reflected upon her social ability. </p><p>“Yes.” he agreed, looking her face over carefully to make sure she seemed aware enough to answer his forthcoming question. Deeming her acceptable enough, he continued. “Do you mind if I ask what happened up there? They told us a little, but nothing is as concrete as hearing it from you.”</p><p>Up there. Her eyes shut again, remembering slowly. The Catalyst. The choices, each of them saving the galaxy but none of them doing what she wanted. It was a difficult choice, but she made the one that seemed the most right. Despite certain repercussions. She opened her eyes again to see him watching her patiently, and she moved her thumb gently against his wrist to thank him for it.</p><p>“I made a choice. He- it, gave me a choice. The Catalyst. It was an AI. I chose... the one that made the most sense, though I think it might’ve been a little selfish. Destroying the Reapers, along with all synthetics. It was the only one that didn’t involve sacrificing myself.” She held back the urge to rub a hand against her neck in uncertainty, anxiety building. “Was it the right one?” </p><p>Garrus leaned towards her, resting his forehead gently against hers and reaching a hand to gently cup her cheek, a move she frequently did to calm him down. It seemed to work just as well on her, as her bubbling anxiety simmered immediately. “Selfish or not, the choice that brought you back to me feels like the right one, especially considering it also won us the war. The Reapers are dead, and you’re not. That’s a good choice to me.”</p><p>“But... EDI. The geth. Oh God, Joker’s going to kill me.” she moaned, remembering quickly those repercussions. She began to panic, and Garrus moved his hand to run his fingers gently against her lips, and she slowed, taking a breath out.</p><p>“She’s fine, they’re fine, and he’s fine. Let the galaxy drop from your shoulders already. You put Atlas to shame.” She looked at him quizzically, not understanding his words, so he continued. “I know what you think happened. But the Catalyst, with whatever almighty power it held, must’ve took mercy on us. Maybe it could tell how much you cared about them, the synthetics. So the ones who seemed to be... independent, and not malicious, were spared. EDI. The geth. The same can’t be said for virtual intelligence, but that seems like something hardly worth mourning. I’d bet we could bring it back, anyway. Feels like we’ve already accomplished the impossible so many times already.” he chuckled, and she stared for a few moments processing until she realized her eyes were wet. </p><p>“We won.” she said once again, tears streaming down her cheeks. He smiled, wiping at them with the hand still clutching her face, giving a gentle nod. Injuries be damned, she leaned forward to hold him as tight as she could and weep openly against his chest. He adjusted quickly, moving to hold her much gently than she gripped him, a hand rubbing slowly up and down her back.</p><p>“There, there. Get it all out.” he reassured, and she did, all of the pain and weight from the past, well, three years, ebbing out of her in each tear she let loose. The galaxy was saved. Her friends, EDI, the geth, were saved. She was saved, and in the arms of the one she loved most. The one who soothed her every panic, who picked her up every time she stumbled. All was finally well in the universe. She pulled away slowly, leaving her arms around him but lightening her grip, removing her face from his chest. She smiled, amused, at the wet spot she’d left behind on his shirt. He surely didn’t mind. </p><p>“Thank you.” she said, and he shook his head.</p><p>“No, no, Shepard. Don’t thank me. Thank you for following my orders so well. After all, there’s no Vakarian without Shepard.” he smiled, and she laughed, heart so full of warmth and utter and complete joy.</p><p>“I love you, Garrus Vakarian.” she said, before leaning forward to finally deliver the kiss she mentally promised to give him before she blew that damn thing up.</p>
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